People Like You
by forever and three more seconds
Summary: Rita Skeeter had survived the war… So of course she tries to sneak around in the house of the newly-appointed Minister for Magic. RS/AB slash, not explicit.


People Like You

Summary: Rita Skeeter had survived the war… So of course she tries to sneak around in the house of the newly-appointed Minister for Magic. RS/AB slash, not explicit.

For ECD, because it's her birthday.

Disclaimer: Not mine. You can tell because this scene wasn't in the original books.

Warnings: Well, strong hints of F/F…

Word Count: 850

Rita Skeeter had survived the war. Of course, she hadn't ever been in a position _not_ to. The closest she had ever come to dangerous circumstances was when the insufferable Granger chit had trapped her in a jar.

Which explained why Rita didn't really notice her instincts, which were currently screaming DANGER!

After the war, everyone had been very keen to reinstate the previous status quo – except without the bribery. So, several hundred galleons less in her Gringotts account, Rita 'law-abiding' Skeeter was returned to her lucrative job with the accurately named _Profit _– oops –_ Prophet_. Everyone who was anyone, it seemed, had fallen to her acid pen in the three years of peace, apart from one person. Hence why a small beetle was attempting to sneak unnoticed through the wards of the recently appointed Minister of Magic.

Amelia Bones had long since retired to her bed by midnight, but on this night she was unable to sleep. For the last four months, ever since becoming Minister, she had been having an amazing time. Her niece was recently married; her friends had all survived more or less intact through the war and its immediate aftermath. Still, Amelia, who always listened to her instincts, felt that something was going to happen tonight. She had pulled on a comfortable and warm set of pyjamas and was now curled up against her pillows, stargazing. The wards twitched as something disturbed them, and Amelia was immediately searching for trouble. It turned out to be the illegal Animagus (the Head of the Aurors was aware of _some_ uncommon knowledge) Skeeter, probably trying for dirt against her.

The fact was, it was impossible to find a hint of a scandal about Amelia, mainly because there were none. At the comfortable age of forty-one, she had never had sex, never smoked or taken drugs, never been seriously injured or even noticeably ill. There was nothing in the world that could taint her reputation as a fair and committed leader of Magical Britain. Smirking, she decided to let the reporter in, a plan already forming for 'discovering' the woman breaking into the house illegally.

Relaxing after the initial hurdle, the small bug flew silently through darkened rooms. A dull light showed under a single door off the main staircase, presumably the master suite, and Rita squeezed under it – only to find that the Minister was still awake. Well, a woman couldn't stay awake forever. She was already dressed for bed, comfortable, cotton, pale-pink pyjamas and neatly plaited brown hair making her almost resemble a schoolgirl, until the Animagus looked at the depths in her captivating brown eyes and the swell of her breasts... Reluctantly, she pulled her mind out of the gutter and focussed on not moving despite the slight cramp in her left side.

Finally, after what seemed like five hours but could only have been one, her target closed her eyes. Rita shuffled tentatively forward.

"Rita Skeeter. How delightful of you to join me this evening. I must confess, however, I do not remember inviting you. Would you care to explain?"

A full dozen expletives ran through Rita's head before she thought to return to human form, and a few seconds later the blonde woman was leaning casually against the closed door. Amelia looked shocked at her appearance, and Rita thought she understood why after a glance down at the revealing, black nightdress she normally wore to bed. As she had not removed her heavy make-up, including scarlet nails, or relaxed the stiff curls framing her face, her motives did look questionable.

Amelia's thoughts were heading in the same direction, and hoping to unsettle the younger woman she continued talking as soon as she had regained her composure.

"Assuming you did not intend to proposition me, what was running through your mind when you attempted to sneak into my house undetected?"

"And what makes you think that wasn't my intention?"

Amelia looked disbelievingly at her. "_Please_, as if I'd believe that."

Rita swept her cold eyes appreciatively over the woman, watching with satisfaction as she frowned nervously. The silence stretched, until she shifted around on the pillow as though expecting to be attacked. The reporter couldn't help herself, she laughed.

"What's so funny?" demanded Amelia at once.

"You – you are! Taking life – everything – me – seriously!" Rita was gasping for breath, but she managed to pull herself together. "There's people like you, who make things happen and organise and all that, and then there's people like me, who just want to have a bit of fun, play a few games and sleep with a few girls before the world ends. And I've suddenly realised how ridiculous your group are!" She dissolved into laughter again at the end of the speech.

Amelia took the first ever reckless decision in her life. A Calming Charm emerged from her wand, only to be mixed with a whispered hint of intent before shooting across the room to the woman collapsed against her door. Rita's posture was suddenly rigid, as thoughts ran through her head. _She wants me. Do I want her? Yes._

So, how does it end? You decide…


End file.
